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European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association
OVERVIEW ON TARGETED DRUG DELIVERY IN TREATMENT OF BRAIN TUMOR KONSTANTINOS PEFANIS, Dr, AHMED FAHEEM, University of Sunderland
INTRODUCTION: Nowadays, treatment of malignant brain tumors remains a challenge. Pharmacological interventions are inhibited by the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB), which has brain endothelial cells that line the cerebral microvasculature, that act as a guardian. Targeted drug delivery method seems positive for overcoming limitations of patient compliance, the BBB and side effects; however, effectiveness relies not only on the therapeutic effect but also on early detection of tumors. Conjugation of nanoparticles with ligands of specific tumor biomarkers is a potent therapeutic approach to deal effectively with brain cancer. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Currently, treatment for brain cancer, especially glioblastoma multiforme, focuses on chemotherapy, radiation and surgery providing limited survival rates and numerous adverse effects. Research is currently focused on targeted delivery drug methods that are going to provide patient compliance, less adverse reactions and prolonged release medication. This review will evaluate the effectiveness of controlled targeted delivery of anticancer therapy to glioblastoma through the BBB using nanoparticles. Moreover, it will evaluate the potential use of imaging agents as a successful diagnostic tool for detecting brain tumors in early stage, increasing the possibilities for higher survival rates. Furthermore, each study will investigate different type of nanoparticles and ligands in combination with desirable drugs or peptides. Ligands selected due to their overexpression in carcinogenic cells, increasing the specificity.
CONCLUSION: Most of the evidence successfully proved the beneficial clinical effect of drugs and targeting ligands when they were attached to multifunctional nanoparticles for accurate detection. However, an absolute comparison between each ligand and nanoparticles was not applicable due to different conditions and unique characteristics such as morphology, zeta potential, size and composition. Evidently, results indicated that drugs should be preferable hydrophobic, unionised and the nanoparticles should be characterised by highly controlled size, appropriate surface properties and chemical functionaliMETHODS: In this review, 8 research articles sation. and studies were included from the databases ScienceDirect, PubMed and Medline by following the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were assessed and the inclusion or exclusion of them followed criteria and standards. In this review, in vivo and in vitro glioma model, such as transfected cells U87 and mice’s brains, were used while no human trials were included.
